Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [72]
Naked Ape (Map; 551 1415; www.dontbenaked.com; Bankastræti 14; 11am-6pm Mon-Fri, to 4pm or 5pm Sat) Drop into this 2nd-floor boutique-gallery for ultracool T-shirts and hoodies, mostly in bright graffiti-like colours, designed by a bunch of artist-friends.
Jewellery
Various shops along Laugavegur specialise in Icelandic jewellery.
Aurum (Map; 551 2770; Bankastræti 4; 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, 11am-4pm Sat) Guðbjörg at Aurum is one of the more interesting designers; her whisper-thin silver jewellery is sophisticated stuff, its shapes often inspired by leaves and flowers.
Guðbrandur Jósef Jezorski (Map; 552 3485; Laugavegur 48; 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, to 1pm Sat) Tasteful silver and gold jewellery incorporating little lumps of lava and Icelandic stones.
Music
12 Tónar (Map; 511 5656; www.12tonar.is; Skolavörðustígur 15; 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, to 2pm or 4pm Sat, plus 1-5pm Sun Jul & Aug) A very cool place to hang out is 12 Tónar, responsible for launching some of Iceland’s favourite new bands. In the three-floor shop you can listen to CDs, drink coffee and maybe catch a live performance on Friday afternoons.
Skífan Kringlan shopping centre (Map; 591 5320; 10am-6.30pm Mon-Wed, 10am-9pm Thu, 10am-7pm Fri, 10am-6pm Sat, 1-6pm Sun); Laugavegur (Map; 591 5310; Laugavegur 26; noon-10pm) Reykjavík’s biggest music chain store has lots of choice, bargain-bin offers, and listening headsets so you can try CDs before you buy.
Smekkleysa Plötubúð (Map; 534 3730; www.smekkleysa.net; Laugavegur 35) Bad Taste records is the label that launched The Sugarcubes, and they’re still producing new music. Their shop has moved around a lot in recent years, and had just reopened on Laugavegur at the time of writing.
Outdoor Equipment
Útilíf (Map; 545 1500; www.utilif.is) Climbing, camping, cycling and fishing equipment and repairs are available from Útilíf, in Kringlan and Smáralind shopping centres and in the small Glæsibær arcade.
Quirky Design
Kirsuberjatréð (The Cherry Tree; Map; 562 8990; www.kirs.is; Vesturgata 4; 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, 11am-3pm Sat) This women’s art collective sells weird and wonderful fish-skin handbags, music boxes made from string and (our favourite) beautiful coloured bowls made from radish slices!
Kraum (Map; 517 7797; www.kraum.is; Aðalstræti 10) Fish-skin clothing, silver jewellery, driftwood furniture and ceramic seabirds, much of it created by up-and-coming young Icelandic designers, fill two storeys of Reykjavík’s oldest house.
Shopping Centres
Mallrats can choose between two large shopping centres. Both contain big-name clothing chains, home-furnishing outlets, a Vín Búð alcohol shop, banks, a food court and a cinema.
Kringlan (Map; 588 788; www.kringlan.is; 10am-6.30pm Mon-Wed, 10am-9pm Thu, 10am-7pm Fri, 10am-6pm Sat, 1-6pm Sun) Reykjavík’s biggest shopping centre, 1km from town, has 150 shops. Take bus S1-4, S6, 13 or 14.
Smáralind (off Map; 528 8000; www.smaralind.is; Hagasmári 1; 11am-7pm Mon-Fri, 11am-6pm Sat, 1-6pm Sun) A smaller centre 6km away in the suburb of Kópavogur. Take bus S2.
Souvenirs
Rammagerðin (Map; 551 1122; http://rammagerdin.is; Hafnarstræti 19; 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat & Sun) This 60-year-old tourist shop is the oldest and biggest. Besides the usual trinkets (coffee-table books, souvenir mugs and plastic Viking helmets), it has a large range of knitwear and a handmade glass and ceramics section.
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BUS SERVICES FROM REYKJAVÍK
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GETTING THERE & AWAY
Air
Reykjavík Domestic Airport (Innanlandsflug; Map; www.reykjavikairport.is) is based just south of Tjörnin. From morning to evening, planes fly between Reykjavík and Akureyri (Ikr14,000 one way), Egilsstaðir (Ikr15,700) and Ísafjörður (Ikr14,000); as well as to Greenland and the Faeroes. Internal flight operator Air Iceland (Flugfélag